Flight
by Spottedeyes
Summary: Raven has paid for her mother's mistake. She is a freak of nature, cursed with an incredible deformity. Her gift is a curse.
1. Chapter 1

Flight

Prologue:

Breeze padded out into the moonlit clearing, her stomach swollen with kits. Her whiskers twitched nervously.

She and her mate, Brackenstar, met every night. The big dark ginger and brown tabby tom said he was ShadowClan's leader numerous times, which had only made Breeze like him more, drawing the black and white she-cat in closer to him. She knew that it shouldn't have happened, but Brackenstar didn't seem bothered by it at all, why, he was thrilled when Breeze told him the big news. He often requested that she joined ShadowClan. He'd bring her gifts, tell her about the lifestyle of a ShadowClan cat to try to lure her in further under his spell. But even if Breeze could've joined ShadowClan, she wouldn't have. If any cat ever found out who she really was, what she really was, she might not even be considered a cat anymore.

The only reason Brackenstar hadn't found out about her secret yet was because it was dark out every time they met up. Even with his superior night vision he hadn't noticed yet. The she-cat was starting to wish that he had noticed her…_appendages… _But Breeze actually liked her extensions. They helped her keep out of the clan cats' sight and away from predators. They also came in handy for catching birds and squirrels.

The black and white cat inhaled deeply and sat down. Tonight she was going to break away from Brackenstar. He would never meet his kits.

She had hesitated in coming back out of fear that Brackenstar would reject her rejection and force her to come to ShadowClan's camp to kit, then just simply be thrown back into the world away from the forest.

If any of the kits were born with her gift they wouldn't last long. She'd learned many things from Brackenstar, but the fact that warriors didn't like differences was a glaring fact in every story he told her. _If I must show him what I am to make him leave me alone, then I will. _Breeze told herself.

Breeze had run through many scenarios of this night in her head of how this night could go, and what she could do to get out from under Brackenstar's paw. She kept telling herself that leaving him and raising the kits far from the clans was for the greater good, but she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that Brackenstar wouldn't see it that way. Breeze had already talked about leaving before she was expecting his kits, and he didn't like it at all. She shifted her paws uncomfortably and sat in silence for a few moments longer.

"Breeze? You here?" A familiar meow asked.

Trembling, Breeze wondered again if she was doing the right thing before responding. "Yeah, I'm here." She replied, her voice hoarse and barely audible.

She stepped out from the shade of the brush and revealed herself.

Brackenstar padded out into the clearing, his gaze serious. "Breeze, I have to talk to you about the kits."

"So do I." She mewed, looking at the ground.

A glimmer of hope flared in his amber gaze. "Our kits are going to be born any day now and for both your sake and for their sakes, I demand that you join ShadowClan. I have spoken to my warriors about your arrival and-"

"Brackenstar, I can't join ShadowClan." Breeze blurted, taking half a step back.

"Breeze, this isn't for you to decide anymore, you're coming to ShadowClan with me tonight." Brackenstar growled.

Hurt flashed in Breeze's gaze, "Brackenstar, I'm not what I appear to be, I'm not a normal cat-"

"You're just as normal as I am." He said confidently, his tail swishing with impatience.

"You don't understand." She whispered.

"What? What do I not understand, Breeze? Just what don't I understand?" The tom snapped, inching closer to her.

Breeze's blue eyes flooded with shame. She didn't say another word.

_Here it goes. _

Brackenstar's eyes widened in disbelief when he saw Breeze, the cat he'd come to love, extend a pair of black, feathered wings.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Spreading your wings

Raven stood by the tiny stream near her nest, her still small jet-black wings hanging limply at her sides. She tried moving the downy-coated wings, her big, baby blue eyes gleaming with excitement when one twitched.

Breeze always told Raven that her wings were like hers when she was a kit too and that it would take a while for the muscles to develop within the wings. At first, Raven didn't believe her, but now, at five moons old, her mother's words rang true. Her right wing had just twitched.

"Mama! Mama, my wing moved!" She yowled happily, running out to her mother's usual hunting grounds on the other side of the hill. She looked around, desperate to show her mother her achievement. Raven had no siblings nor a father to brag to. Just her mother. Anytime she asked about her father or why she had no siblings, Breeze would try to get off the topic. She told Raven that she had two brothers and another sister, but they died right away.

And her father? Breeze described him to be a brave and handsome ginger tabby. Raven would always ask what color his wings were, and Breeze wouldn't answer. She asked what her siblings had looked like. Breeze would answer that one. Hazel, her sister, was supposedly a dark gray she-cat; Bracken, her oldest brother, had been described like their father; and Breeze told her that Night, her other brother was black like she was.

Raven suddenly felt lonely. She should be used to it by now, but her mother couldn't play like a kit, and she wasn't allowed any further from the den than the stream. So technically, she was breaking her mother's rule. Raven understood why she wasn't allowed to go further than the stream; the cliff-ridden mountain slope that they lived in wasn't the safest place for a kit her age that couldn't fly.

"Raven! What are you doing here?" Breeze asked worriedly, flying and landing beside her daughter; a hawk dangling from her claws.

Raven's eyes lit up. "Guess what, mama? I moved my wing!"

Breeze couldn't help but purr in pride from her daughter's milestone. "That's great, Raven. But you're too far from the den. Until you can fly, you can't leave that area, we've been over this!" Breeze scolded, grabbing the kit's scruff and flying back to the den.

XXX

Raven ripped another piece of hawk from her share and swallowed as Breeze lectured her about not leaving her selected area. "Do you understand how dangerous it is for a kit who can't fly yet like you? What if you fell and I wasn't there to catch you?" Breeze hissed.

"But I didn't." Raven replied arrogantly, her little black tail swishing back and forth.

"Raven! If you fell," Breeze began once again.

Raven tuned her out, her thoughts aimlessly wandering as her mother ranted. "Mama, why aren't there any other cats up here?" She asked suddenly.

Breeze stopped mid hiss, panic arousing in her baby-blue eyes. "B-because."

"Cuz why? I wanna play with another kit." Raven insisted.

Breeze looked guiltily at the ground. "Well… that's a tough question. Other cats used to come around more often, but they left before I had you."

"But why? Did they not want me to be born?"

"Raven! Your father was thrilled to have you."

"But where is he? Why'd he leave?"

"I don't know. He and I got in a fight and then… then he just left."

"About what? Me?"

"Sort of… we both wanted different things for you, so I left."

"Can we go find him?" The black she-kit asked hopefully.

"I don't think so, sweetie. He doesn't love me anymore and I don't know how he'd react if we came to visit him."

"So you know where he lives?"

"Of course, Raven. Unless he move to a new place then yes, I do know where he lives."

"Would he be angry if I came?"

"Maybe."

"I thought you said that he was thrilled to have me."

"Raven-"

"Mama? Are we… normal?" Breeze seemed to freeze in place at her daughter's question.

"Of course we are. All cats have claws, fur, whiskers, four legs and paws, teeth, and tails."

"What 'bout wings?"

The black and white she-cat stiffened. "Yes."

"Prove it, mama. Show me another cat." The kit requested.

Her question echoed off the cave walls; it seemed like moons before her mother answered.

"I can't."

"But why? Why are we all the way up here where no one can see us?"

"I can't tell you."

"But why? What have I done wrong? Why can't I know anything! Why are you punishing me?" Raven cried, "why doesn't daddy love us anymore!"

Breeze's eyes clouded with misery. "I don't know."

"You're lying! There's something wrong with us isn't there, mama! What is it?"

Breeze had a look of grief and sorrow that Raven hadn't seen before, "when you can fly, I'll tell you."

"You're still lying! You won't ever tell me, will you?!" Raven wailed, her little face twisted with anger and an indescribable sadness.

"I… I'll be right back." Breeze whispered, spreading her wings and exiting the small cave, flying into the distance.

"Mama! Mama, mama! Don't leave me!" She cried.

Raven scrambled to her paws and hurried to the mouth of the cave, staring at her mother's figure as she flew to a different area on the mountain. Raven made a feeble attempt to spread her own wings, only succeeding in a slight twitch from her right wing.

As the sky grew darker and star-ridden, she sat down and wrapped her tail tightly around her body, her head hung low.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Grown apart

An eight moon old cat stared at the water. A black she-cat with beautiful black wings and blue eyes stared back, her eyes hollow and empty.

Breeze was gone most of the time now, leaving Raven to entertain herself. She'd bring her prey and exchange a few words with her and then she'd leave. Every day she wondered about her father, and what her life may have been if her siblings hadn't passed away and if he had stayed with her and Breeze. Raven was nearly full grown now and was starting to fly, well, hover.

Her downy black feathers were now covered by sleek, pristine ebony flight feathers. She could now move her wings just as well as Breeze could. And she'd be able to fly just as well as Breeze could any day now. And Raven would fly far, far away whenever she could fly for more than five minutes at a time and find another cat, preferably her father to see if Breeze was lying about them being normal. She got to her paws and unfolded her wings and looked to the sky. Her wings flapped twice, lifting Raven a few feet into the air. She thrust herself forwards, her body flopping around as she tried to find the strength to keep her torso from dangling but keep beating her wings at the same time. Raven yowled in frustration when her wings stopped flapping. She landed clumsily on her paws, her tail swishing in annoyance.

"You're getting better, you know." A gentle meow encouraged.

Raven turned around and saw Breeze with two sparrows dangling from her jaws. "Brought you some prey." She said, dropping one of the birds at Raven's paws.

"Thanks." Raven muttered, picking the small bird up.

Breeze seemed crestfallen at her response. "I can take you flying if you want after you're done eating." She offered.

"I think I'll pass." Raven growled, quickly gulping the bird down.

"What happened to you?" The black and white she-cat whispered.

Raven didn't answer for a while. "Mother, I'm leaving soon." She said suddenly.

Breeze looked at her daughter in surprise. "Why?"

"Why would I stay? There's nothing for me up here. I'm leaving these stupid mountains as soon as I can fly for longer periods of time."

Breeze dipped her head in understanding.

"I want to find other cats like me." Raven murmured.

"I get it, Raven. Just promise me one thing. Promise me that you'll stay away from your father."

"What's his name?"

"His name? Why would I tell you his name if I want you to steer clear of him?"

"If I don't know who he is then how will I know who to stay away from?"

Breeze sighed in defeat. "He goes by Brackenstar."

Raven narrowed her eyes, "Brackenstar? Who do you take me for, mother? I'm no flea-brain. That's not a name."

"He grew up differently than you did. When I first met him, his name was Brackenclaw actually. But then he became deputy of his group of cats that he lived with, then not too long after that he became leader."

"Then why isn't his name Brackenclaw?"

"Where he comes from, when a cat becomes leader, they change the last part of their name to 'star' so everyone knows he's leader." Breeze explained.

"Why don't we live there then?"

"Those cats… they don't take kindly to strangers. I'm leaving it at that."

"Look at me in the eye, Breeze." Raven commanded.

Breeze sighed but complied, locking eyes with her daughter.

"Is there a different reason we don't live with them? Because if my father is the leader, then he makes the rules. No cat could question us if he let us in."

Breeze started to look at the ground.

"Keep eye contact, please." Raven growled.

The timid she-cat once again locked gazes with Raven. "Yes. There is another reason." She stated calmly.

"Spill it."

"I'm going to keep my promise to you, Raven. You can fly now, so I guess I should tell you everything."

Raven nodded, "yes. Yes you should."

"We both are different. But only for one reason, sweetie."

"Don't call me that." Raven interrupted.

Breeze gulped, obviously intimidated by Raven. "You and I would both be clan cats but… but…"

"Hurry!" Raven snapped, glaring at her.

"No normal cats have wings." Breeze said.

"I knew it!" Raven yowled. "I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW it! I knew there was something wrong. That's why I can't keep myself up when I fly, isn't it? Because cats aren't supposed to have these stupid things!"

"Yes. However, having wings makes us stronger than the rest." Breeze mewed. "But, I also have another confession."

Raven stopped her triumphant yowls and looked back at Breeze suspiciously.

She sighed. "Raven. Hazel, Bracken, and Night aren't really dead."

Raven's eyes widened in horror. "What? Where are they?!"

"With Brackenstar. I would've kept them too, but they didn't have wings."

"So you're telling me that if I didn't have these things attached to me I would be with my brothers and sister and father?"

Breeze nodded uncomfortably.

Raven shot Breeze a glare. "Screw it. I'm leaving now."

Breeze's eyes widened. "Raven, you can't stay air-born long enough-"

"Who said I was flying? I'm not using my wings anymore." Raven growled, plastering her wings even more tightly against her sides.

Breeze's gaze grew desperate.

"Raven, you can't just not use your wings, they're a part of you whether you like it or not. You're stuck with them forever no matter how much you hate them. Your wings will only get in the way if you don't use them." She warned.

Raven took a pace forward. "Breeze, I'm nearly full grown now. Let me go."

"But… I don't know where I'm going to go if you leave. And you and I might be the last winged cats out here, shouldn't we stick together?"

Raven faintly purred. "Maybe we'll meet again later?"

"Don't leave me…" Breeze pleaded, her eyes glimmering with sorrow.

"Then why don't you find a new mate or something? Someone who won't hate you because of the wings." Raven offered, walking past Breeze.

"At least let me leave the mountains with you." Breeze pleaded, turning to face her daughter.

Raven stopped and sighed. "You can if you'd like. Just don't expect any lively conversations. And as soon as we get out of the mountains, we go our separate ways."

Breeze sadly nodded. "I guess we just have to grow apart."


End file.
